1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to wireless communication systems and, more particularly, to a wireless communication system using modulated backscatter technology.
2. Description of the Related Art
Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) systems are used for identification and/or tracking of equipment, inventory, or living things. RFID systems are radio communication systems that communicate between a radio transceiver, called an Interrogator, and a number of inexpensive devices called Tags or transponders. In RFID systems, the Interrogator communicates to the Tags using modulated radio signals, and the Tags respond with modulated radio signals. The Interrogator first transmits an amplitude modulated signal to the Tag. Then, the Interrogator transmits a Continuous-Wave (CW) radio signal to the Tag. The Tag then modulates the CW signal using Modulated BackScattering (MBS) where the antenna is electrically switched, by the Tag""s modulating signal, from being an absorber of RF radiation to being a reflector of RF radiation; thereby encoding the Tag""s information onto the CW radio signal. The Interrogator demodulates the incoming modulated radio signal and decodes the Tag""s information message.
MBS systems typically utilize amplitude modulated techniques for communications from the Interrogator to the Tag. For Tag to Interrogator MBS communications, prior art maintains the use of Frequency Shift Keying modulation techniques. Prior art also maintains baseband homodyne detection of the MBS signal at the interrogator; however baseband homodyne detection suffers from oscillator phase noise, large DC offsets, and mixer noise.
In an embodiment of this invention, we disclose techniques for utilizing Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) in an MBS system; we also disclose techniques for extending QPSK to higher orders of phase modulation.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a duplex radio communication system comprises an Interrogator which generates a radio signal to at least one remote Tag. The remote Tag receives the radio signal. The Tag then generates a subcarrier signal, and using Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK), modulates an information signal onto the subcarrier. A Backscatter Modulator, using this modulated subcarrier, modulates the reflection of the radio signal, the reflected signal being a reflected modulated signal. The Interrogator receives and demodulates the reflected modulated signal to obtain the information signal. In one embodiment, demodulation utilizes a homodyne detector. In another embodiment, the Interrogator modulates an information signal onto the radio signal, transmits that modulated radio signal to the Tag, and the Tag demodulates that modulated radio signal to recover the information signal. In another embodiment, higher order phase modulations are used to modulate an information signal onto the subcarrier.